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"New 2-story deck missed the mark across code, Trex guidelines, and aesthetics. Poor planning. Won't make it right. We lost 5 figures on a 2-man crew that lacks longevity with owner. Hire inspectors before paying final invoice. FYI “Custom Deck and Fence Austin” also has poor reviews on multiple sites noting owner Todd Louis Ratajik of "Good Day Baked Energy Snacks" (Forfeited Existence). Sites now name “Cesar” as owner. Negative reviews disappeared. AFFD has pending lawsuits with Travis County Courts. Unknown AFFD subcontractor alarmingly used my name and address in another client’s lawsuit w**! Standard: Visual consistency. AFFD: Mismatched railing. Todd’s words: "It's the same railing but pinched." (A contractor’s FB review notes lack of materials to properly complete jobs.) Std: Concrete pad supports stairs. AFFD: Stair stringers hover in air, failing to land on concrete. Todd blatantly texted that stringers would step out (not down) from deck. I refuted the abnormality. Top step was cut off; stringers don’t reach concrete. Instead of extending pad or redoing stringers, an ugly post was set. Std: Stairs treads w/o gaps. No overhangs. AFFD: Stringer cuts forgot stairs' fascia; treads weren’t 11+”. Gaps added to meet code -> stair noses >1.25", ie trip hazards. FYI Use rise-to-run guidelines. Std: 42” deck railings. 34-38” stair railings ABOVE boards. AFFD: 44” deck railings. Didn’t supply 34” stair railings; boards grossly notched to lower height, which start at 44”! Std: Posts sit on existing FINISHED concrete pads. (LOL) AFFD: Post had no contact with pad (after removing makeshift shams to hide the blunder) ie ZERO deck weight on ground. Todd asked if this was okay [to not deal with]. Post not corrected at start. Rough concrete poured atop pad to meet post. Ew. Std: 16" oc MAX joist spacing (Trex specs). AFFD: 7 of 13 spacings are >16". No blocking. Add 1 or 2 joists = ~15.5" or 14" spacings. Todd said his ways are “affordable” and “economical”. Eek. Best: Competitor contracts: "12-in joist spacings", "blocking", “glulam beam”. Std: Trex Cocktail Rail Kit (full-width support, hidden fasteners). AFFD: 5.5" wavy floor boards nailed to 1" rail. Visible screws, rough shavings, corner gaps, no support eg 2x4s to flatten board. No countersunk screws and putty to hide nails. Std: Professional aesthetics. AFFD: Not spraying railing cuts = RUST. No continuity in stairs fascia to meet deck edge. Silver bolts on black railings. Posts unequal distance from deck edges. Cedar’s shorter lifespan requires staining / maintenance < Trex’s composite fascia. Std: Disclosure of unforeseen issues. Protocols. Loyal crews. AFFD: Crew wasted a day plotting makeshift repairs after causing roof damage. Licensed roofer was furious about erroneously-cut flashing. Roofers returned after crew again made damaging cuts where told not to. Zero acknowledgement from Todd. AFFD: Crew noted holes in house’s ceiling after removing joist nails. No repairmen references. Not-our-problem mentality. AFFD: 15+ days by 2 tired guys: the hire + his actual neighbor. Ditto to reviewer compelled to supervise. Days start late, end after 7pm. My neighbors had 5 deck builders who left by 6pm still jolly. AFFD: Non-recyclables in recycling bin. Concrete and stinky liquid in trash bin. Cigarette butts, nails, and construction debris across yard. AFFD: Crew won’t tell owner about gray areas and errors in judgments. One unsure if he'd get paid wth. Std: Professionalism. AFFD: No final walkthroughs. Owner ignores items in emails. Condescending; when I climbed a ladder re an issue (that I called a roofer to fix), Todd muttered that I was “an inspector, eh”. Instead of talking measurements, Todd’s retort was “I’m the owner of a deck company”, as if titles alone grant proficiency. Labor is hired out, crew turnover is high. Workmanship depends on whoever is outsourced, who aren’t deck builders so much as guys who "have built decks before". Expect no corrections on what Todd Ratajik deems as "good enough"."

"There was excellent communication, along with extensive discussion up front with the site manager on very fine details balancing material availability, cost, and complexity. This allowed the project to move smoothly without any hiccups or delays. Very professional."

"My Gazebo was shipped but not have all the parts to complete the roofing. 3 weeks later with a lot of customer service calls I finally received missing parts. They worked tiresly ti complete the job! I am eternally grateful and completely satisfied with my Gazebo. Any future needs I will use ATX Outdoor Construction. ATX Outdoor Construction was Amazing!"

"Outstanding job! Thanks guys"